by JD Vance’s attempt to connect with Pope Leo XIV on Sunday didn’t go as planned. The vice president, who was at the Vatican for the pope’s inaugural mass, tried to have a conversation afterward. Instead, the pope simply shook his hand and moved on after a brief 17-second encounter.
Meanwhile, the pope held private meetings with several other world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, highlighting the contrast in attention.
The awkward moment with Vance came after the pope delivered a sermon that seemed to take subtle shots at former President Donald Trump’s administration. Without naming Trump directly, the pope spoke against “hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic system that exploits the Earth’s resources and sidelines the poorest.” Many saw this as a critique of Trump’s immigration policies.
The pope has also openly criticized Vance before, writing an op-ed challenging his view that caring for others should only come after taking care of one’s own family. “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” the pope stated.
